Pembroke Pines, for example, was one of the last communities to get low-income housing project funded by a federal housing program for the elderly. The 75-unit addition at Douglas Gardens North, 705 NW 88th Ave, is now under construction.

It was one of only two projects in Florida for low-income older people that was approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The entire Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program was phased out in 2011.

Workers should save now so they will have money in their retirement years, recommended William B. Stronge, professor emeritus of economics at Florida Atlantic University and a senior fellow at the Economic Development Research Institute in West Palm Beach.

Even a few dollars a week will add up in the decades ahead, thanks to compound interest, he said.

Plantation financial planner Ben Tobias recommended setting up an IRA retirement account or contributing to a 401k plan at work -- especially if the employer matches.

Lower income workers may qualify for Retirement Savings Contribution Credits that can be used by couples who earn less than $56,500 a year or $28,250 for single filers.

This credit could be worth up to $2,000 for a couple or $1,000 for a single filer; it can be used for any retirement account, including a 401k or IRA.